Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of science resulting from the marriage of the cognitive and computer sciences. Computers, originally used for the manipulation of numbers (data), are now being used for the manipulation of ideas (knowledge). Trends and solutions can be inferred by the assimilation of observed or sensed facts just as numbers are added and subtracted to produce totals. Computer systems have been developed that exhibit functions very similar to some of the thought processes previously ascribed only to humans.
The study of AI leads to insight regarding the human thought processes in addition to the development of practical systems to solve problems in the workplace, the school and the home. The "expert system" is one utilization of AI technology for obtaining practical results. An expert system solves problems through the manipulation of knowledge. The expert system is an inference engine with a knowledge base upon which it operates. The knowledge base is compiled from both information about the target system and the experience of human experts in the field which is encoded in a computer language suited for the description and manipulation of ideas and principles.
The inference engine has, in recent years, become a widely available product through a number of companies, including Gold Hill Computers, Inc., of Cambridge, Mass.; Intellicorp, of Mountain View, Calif.; Technology Applications, Inc., of Jacksonville, Fla.; Teknowledge, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif.; Neuron Data, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif.; and Texas Instruments, of Austin, Tex. Two inference engines have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,658,370 to Erman et al., and 4,648,044 to Hardy et al., both assigned to Teknowledge, Inc.
Expert systems recently have found use in a variety of applications, such as in agriculture, chemistry, computer design, construction, engineering, finance, management, health care, manufacturing, and others. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,983 to Bennett et al., an expert system for use in inventory control is disclosed, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,468, 4,642,782, and 4,644,479, all to Kemper et al., each disclose a diagnostic system for monitoring an industrial system, such as a steam turbine generator power plant.
A current focus in the market place is on "intelligent machines". These machines are or appear to be "intelligent" in the way that they operate; i.e., they monitor their own performance and adapt to changing conditions. These machines are also perceived to be "intelligent" by their users due to the ability of the machine to "understand" and satisfy the objectives of the user. Additionally, these machines appear to be highly reliable since they tend to minimize unscheduled maintenance and machine shutdowns. This conveys another perception of intelligence.
Most expert systems communicate via computer text with the user and provide data or instructions in response to user inquiry. These systems are burdensome on the user because the user must deal with the computer interface to the expert system as well as the original problem. The system can become an imposing burden on a novice or a knowledgeable user. There are several aspects to this problem. Typically, the expert system is separate from the device/machine with which it is associated. This means that the user must stop working on the "real" task and begin operating the expert system in order to obtain information. This is further complicated when the interface to the expert system is the same set of controls and displays (CID's) that the operator must use to operate the device/machine itself. Thus, the user is faced with two tasks (operating the machine and operating the expert system) and the additional complexity of a shared interface. Often, a third task is required--that of gathering information about machine status/operation and supplying this to the expert system by means of the user interface (UI) or C/D system.
There is also the potential for a mismatch between the design/complexity of the expert system or UI and the experience or ability of the current user. Whereas a novice will need detailed, step-by-step instructions, a frequent user will become impatient with unneeded detail. Conversely, a novice would not understand complex, high-level information directed at an experienced user.
Batchelor U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,299, assigned to Xerox Corporation, and Matsuyama U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,044 disclose copying machines having keypads primarily for directing normal copying operations. The keypads and associated logic also serve the additional function of initiating diagnostic routines.
Lippolis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,079 discloses a copying machine keyboard that is usable by a service agent to change a timing parameter for diagnostic and repair purposes.
Daughton et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,509, assigned to Xerox Corporation, discloses a control console which can be used to direct copy or other runs. See column 18, line 60.
Linkowski U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,918 discloses a calculator keyboard that is used to control diagnostic functions of a mailing machine. During regular operation, the same key pad is used to control the normal functioning of the machine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,642,782 to Kemper et al., 4,644,479 to Kemper et al., 4,649,515 to Thompson et al. and 4,697,243 to Moore et al. (all assigned to Westinghouse Electric Corp.) disclose apparatuses which employ expert systems to perform a diagnostic function. U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,782 discloses a computer controlled diagnostic apparatus for industrial or other types of operating systems. A rule base pertinent to the particular operating system being diagnosed is stored in memory. The rule base is established by an expert (or experts) in the field to which the diagnosis pertains. Sensors monitor operating parameters of the system and provide output signals which are fed to the diagnostic apparatus. Indications of the overall "health" of the operating system in general and of its components in particular are provided to the user via a display. Thompson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,515 discloses a system for developing a generic facility for the construction of a knowledge-based system. The system is usable in interactive modes for aiding service personnel in diagnosing system malfunctions. Kemper et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,479 discloses a diagnostic apparatus which utilizes a diagnostic expert system to monitor a steam turbine-generator power plant. Moore et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,243 discloses a method of using an expert system wherein an expert system having a knowledge base of elevator troubleshooting information is used interactively by remotely located elevator service personnel in order to diagnose malfunction. The expert systems disclosed in the above patents perform diagnostic functions, but do not provide self-corrective functions or corrective advice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,366 to Braswell et al. (Xerox Corp.) discloses a reproduction machine which stores information regarding previous operation of the machine in a memory for subsequent retrieval and analysis on the occurrence of a malfunction.
Dormond et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,822 discloses an expert system for suggesting treatments for traumas. Gangarosa et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,690 discloses an integrated expert system for medical imaging scan, set up, and scheduling. A first expert system obtains index constraint and priority values while a second expert system optimizes these values.
Tanifuji et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,886 discloses a computer control system for controlling a plant which utilizes knowledge engineering to select a mathematical formula model to control the plant.
McNulty et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,755 discloses an automatic control system for an aircraft which has a first controller connected to the pilot's operating controls. The first controller manipulates the operating controls so that goals, expressed in terms of selected aircraft parameters, are achieved. A second controller supplies a series of goals to the first controller so that the aircraft will perform desired maneuvers. A third controller acts as a mission planner, and supplies desired maneuvers to the second controller in accordance with overall mission plans. The third controller is an expert system having a field of expertise relating to flight planning and control.
Smith et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,377 discloses an internal expert system to aid in servicing which monitors predetermined status conditions of the machine for automatic correction or for communication to the user.
An article entitled "Artificial Intelligence Reaching PCs ", Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, N.Y., Apr. 18, 1988, discloses the use of AI technology with personal computers.
The Mar. 28, 1988 edition of TIME Magazine discloses on page 61, the use of expert systems like RIC (Remote Interactive Communications) by Xerox in copiers. According to this article, by employing the reasoning of a special Xerox team of diagnosticians, RIC reads data from a copier's internal instruments, senses when something is about to go wrong, and sends a report to a repairman, who can warn the customer that an imminent breakdown can be avoided by taking appropriate steps. The described RIC system, however, is located external to the machine, and is only diagnostic, not self-corrective.
There is also a system closely associated with RIC which the Xerox Technical Representative can utilize on site to help repair the machine. The Technical Representative carries a small computer which can be connected by phone (or radio) to a larger computer in a central office. The large, central computer has in its memory an expert system and knowledge base for the broken machine. The Technical Representative performs tests and replies to questions from the central computer at the direction of the expert system. After several communications in each direction, the expert system determines the cause of the malfunction and instructs the Technical Representative in the proper method of correction.
A paper entitled "A Layered Intelligence Architecture for Programmable Controller Configurations" by P. Liu, C. N. Lee and Ming-Lee Chiu, Engineering Society of Detroit, June 1987, pp. 77-83, discloses a knowledge-based system structure for configuring control systems for specific applications.
Expert systems and control are discussed in the "Proceedings of the 1987 American Control Conference", published June 1987.
All patents and publications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference.